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Edward Cliffe
Summary Edward Cliffe, Snr. was a Guardian of the Bhargof Court and one of the members that refused to become Felsworn. He was presented as an intelligent, courageous Gilnean father that joined the court after his son's attempted murder. Originally seeking to settle any 'debts' that came about due to his child's crimes Edward changed his viewpoint in no time at all and began serving for his own sake, rather than for duty. Early Life Childhood Cliffe was the only child of his parents who earned a very modest living in Gilneas City. He was expected to follow in his father's footsteps as a blacksmith but veered off the chosen path when he found he had talent in marksmanship. As a result, Cliffe did not attend school and therefore did not gain an education: he was illiterate for many years before seeking lessons to learn how to read and write. As a young adult Cliffe found work as a guard in the city and was responsible for interrupting the planned attack on a young woman in a back alley. He saw to it personally that the men responsible were locked away, and as a token of gratitude, the would be victim - Anna - gave him a decorative pin she had been keeping to sell. Edward took this as a good sign and asked her out on a date, which she thankfully accepted. The two became an item and married at the young age of 21 and 20 respectively: Anna fell pregnant almost immediately afterward with their first child, Rosa. As a father Edward doted on his first born, and treated his daughter like a princess with the very little money he was able to make as a simple guard. He resorted to other techniques of making coin, particularly when Anna found she was expecting a second child. Desperate to be able to feed his quickly growing family, Cliffe delved into corruption, accepting bribery and illegal payments for turning a blind eye to Gilneas' criminals. He could also be expected to persuade other guards to change their shifts so a potential crime could take place without any resistance. Selling his dignity worked out in the short-term: when Penelope came along, Edward was making enough money to feed them comfortably and move his family into a new house. Finally, some time later, his final child and only son Edward, junior, was also brought into the world by his wife. Cliffe's backhanded transactions went on way into the younger Edward's teenage years, until he was finally discovered by a superior and narrowly escaped imprisonment due to his good relationship and standing with most of his colleagues. Anna was outraged at his 'betrayal', although she could not handle the financial stresses on her own, and forced herself to remain with Edward. After Gilneas Anna need have not fretted for much longer, however: as the fall of Gilneas was imminent and there were far worse problems than debt and loan sharks. The Cliffes managed to escape Gilneas in one piece, but Edward was forced to go his own way when Anna refused to spend the rest of their new lives with him. He was shunned by all of his children, who loved their mother more, and he set about travelling across Azeroth alone, desperate for work and food. After a few years of survival, he learned that his son had found employment at an esteemed court in the capital, Stormwind. Keeping a close eye on the situation, and knowing of his child's irrational behaviour from his younger years, Cliffe remained in the city but did not dare venture into the keep. It was only by wanted posters searching for the murderer of his son that he learned of Edward Junior's assassination attempt and shame upon the family name. Joining the Court Edward took some time to compose himself before applying to the court and venturing up to the keep. His interview was conducted by Acanthia Rawling, who Cliffe later learned to be the victim of his son's attack. Seemingly against better judgement, Acanthia accepted his application and Cliffe became a Guardian of the Court, the first time in full employment since his explusion from Gilneas. Preferring a bow over a sword/shield, Cliffe became the Court's first true marksman, and arguably the most skilled archer. At first, Cliffe was quiet and reserved, not wanting to step over any boundaries that his son had caused. That soon faded though, and his original personality - fun, caring and fiercely protective - soon came into play. Cliffe became known for making his infamously bad jokes, particularly when hosting macabre events such as the Guardian Gauntlet - but generally improving the moods and atmosphere of what can sometimes be a bleak place to work and live. Cliffe has been present at all trials during his employment with the Court, and is usually primarily responsible for escorting the prisoners back to the Stockades from the courtroom. He has a pet dog, Vlaca, that assists him with such matters, who can often be seen around the Keep. Relationships with others Acanthia Rawling The original person who he felt 'indebted' to for his son's actions, Acanthia and Cliffe's friendship went from strength to strength in a remarkably short amount of time. First making himself known for the ability to make her laugh, Cliffe's determination as a guardian then sealed his place in her inner circle of companions. They often accompanied each other on meetings and missions both in and out of the keep, preferring to remain by each other's sides. Cliffe presented Thia with a gift on board the ship to Northrend in July, after she was the only one to comfort him after being ignored by the rest of the court. His relationship with Rawling has never been easy, however - when Cliffe mistakenly assaulted a woman, Acanthia very nearly handed in her resignation due to her trust in him being broken and the way in which he handled the problem. Despite this, they managed to keep their friendship back on track. Morabella Clara Williams Cliffe is very protective of Bella after she was placed with him as an enlistee due to her age and inexperience. Although she wields a gun, not a bow, Edward still feels that they share a common understanding, along with their love of animal companions. (Bella has a dog called Brogan, Cliffe has a dog called Vlaca.) Being a father himself, Edward is very knowledgeable about Bella's "I don't want to be here" attitude, usually being the one that would talk her out of running away, for her own sake. Cliffe is usually quiet for his own good if he nurses a dangerous opinion: Bella, on the other hand, says whatever she is thinking. She can also be very hot headed and emotional, which was the reason behind Cliffe's 'scare tactic' that led to him losing Bella as an enlistee. Their deep bond managed to survive the weekend in Northrend. Vlakor Blackstrom Knowing the damage his son had left on the High Judge's court, Edward was originally determined to undo his child's wrongs. Showing up for employment with a good attitude and seemingly loyal at heart, Cliffe managed to get off to a good start with his employer, until he realised the way he was treating several members of the court. Vlakor was - and is - relentless in his harsh treatment of those around him, specifically Acanthia who seems to be the only one interested in protecting the others. This quickly turned into hatred for Cliffe, who became Vlakor's main aggressor within his own court, suffering various punishments for his refusal to not back down. Cliffe thenagreed to stop protesting against Blackstrom after his successful marriage, but the inner hatred for the High Judge remained, showing no signs of dying out. Death On the week that the High Judge planned to move the willing people of the court to Shadowmoon Valley, Cliffe could not bear to watch. He had tried all he could to break the mind control that Blackstrom had (and continues to have) over his wife, Acanthia. After informing the High Judge of his position after yet another 'mindless' servant arrived at the castle, Cliffe decided there was no point in trying to battle him anymore as he would do as he liked anyway. Edward said his goodbyes to Thia and David Sedgwick, before leaving the house. Cliffe returned to the outskirts of Stormwind, where his son had been murdered, and threw himself off of the keep battlements in an act of suicide, taking his own life. Not before sending a suicide letter to Acanthia, explaining his reasoning and above all else, begging her to remain sane in order to protect their people, something which Edward failed to do.Category:Characters